Optics for Focal Plane Photochromic Anti-glare Device

Anti-glare visors and rearview mirrors for cars can be constructed by inserting a photochromic layer in the focal plane of an optical system. Rays from intense glare souces are focused and create dark spots on the photochromic layer and thus self attenuate. Rays from dim objects are left unaffected. The optics can be achieved with either conventional lenses or microlens arrays. Anti-glare devices just a few millimeters thick can be constructed using planar optics based on microlens arrays. The objective for Phase I is to generate several alternative designs based on this anitglare technology, for the optics of rearview mirrors and visor, evaluate these designs and select a set of best candidates.